The 10 Best Places to Visit in Mexico City (with a detailed map)
ZOCALO
Mexico City is a fascinating city, but it’s expansive, and there are an unlimited number of things to do or see. For first time travelers, and long layover explorers, I’ve narrowed it down to the top ten to see if you don’t have unlimited time.
Scroll all the way down to the bottom for an interactive map of the top ten things to do in Mexico City.
Center of the City (Centro Historico/Zocalo)
Why go there: If someone only has a layover of a few hours in Mexico City, I tell them to go to Zocalo. It’s easy to get to from the airport, but there are enough things to do that you can spend a few hours sightseeing, grabbing a good meal, and then head back to the airport.
How to get there: Take a taxi/Uber to Zocalo
What you should expect to pay: Free
How long it takes to take it in: No wait. Sometimes it can be crowded, but you can enter the plaza from multiple streets.
Other close sites: Bellas Artes, Chinatown, Torrelatinoamericano
The best things to do in Zocalo:
Templo Mayor
Why go there: Templo Mayor is the site of Mayan ruins. Yes, you can see Mayan ruins without leaving the city. It's easy to get to, and doesn't take as much time as any of the other local ruins take. Templo Mayor was the main temple of the Mexica peoples in their capital city of Tenochtitlan, which is now Mexico City The temple was dedicated to the god of war and the god of agriculture and rain. When the Spanish came *insert eyeroll* they destroyed the temple and used the stones to build a cathedral on the site (how disrespectful!) (wikipedia)
How to get there: Take a taxi/Uber to Zocalo.
What you should expect to pay: 75 pesos (about $4 USD)
How long it takes to take it in: Usually there is no wait to get in mind. Keep in mind that like most museums in Mexico, Templo Mayor is free to locals on Sunday so the wait time can be longer.
Other close sites: Metropolitan Cathedral, National Palace,
Metropolitan Cathedral of the Assumption of the Most Blessed Virgin Mary into Heavens
Why go there: Yeah, it has a long name, but it's the seat of the Catholic Archdiocese Of Mexico. The cathedral was built in sections from 1573 to 1813. Basically, if you're Catholic, this is one of the places you should visit in Mexico City. Also, it’s really pretty.
How to get there: It’s on the north side of the plaza.
What you should expect to pay: Free Entry
How long it takes to take it in: No wait for entry. Avoid times of church services.
Other close sites: National Palace, Templo Mayor
National Palace
Why go there: This building still houses government offices and has the largest Diego Rivera mural in the world. If you want to see Rivera paintings but don't have the time to make it to one of his many museums in town, this is the place for you.
“Above the central doorway, facing the Zócalo, is the main balcony where just before 11pm on September 15, the president of Mexico gives the Grito de Dolores, in a ceremony to commemorate Mexican Independence. Part of this ceremony includes ringing the bell that hangs above the balcony. This bell is the original one that Father Miguel Hidalgo rang to call for rebellion against Spain. It originally hung in the church of Dolores Hidalgo, Guanajuato, but was relocated here.” (wikipedia)
How to get there: The National Palace is on the east side of the Plaza.
What you should expect to pay: Admission is free
How long it takes to take it in: This one varies quite a bit, but the last time I was there, I waited about 45 minutes. Bring an official ID that you will leave at the front door when you enter and pick up when you leave the building.
Other close sites: Metropolitan Cathedral, Templo Mayor
Palacio de Bellas Artes
Why go there: Palacio de Bellas Artes is a beautiful building that took thirty years to complete. It has an Art Nouveau exterior, and a primarily Art Deco interior. It was declared an artistic monument in 1987 by UNESCO. Many cultural events were held here and it contains another Diego Rivera mural. The plaza of Bellas Artes is always crowded, but you can get a great view of the building from the upper floors of the Sears across the street.
How to get there: It’s a short walk through a shopping district from Centro Historico.
What you should expect to pay: Free Admission
How long it takes to take it in: Short wait, if any
Other close sites: Centro Historico, Chinatown, Torre Latinoamericano, Monument to Benito Juarez
Anthropology Museum
Why go there: The anthropology museum in one of the most comprehensive museums in town and also has the distinction of being inside Bosque de Chapultepec, another top place to visit. “The museum contains significant archaeological and anthropological artifacts from Mexico's pre-Columbian heritage, such as the Stone of the Sun (or the Aztec calendar stone) and the Aztec Xochipilli statue.” (Wikipedia)
How to get there: Taxi/Uber to Museum or walk from the surrounding park.
What you should expect to pay: $75 pesos (About $4 USD) Get tickets here.
How long it takes to take it in: Usually no wait.
Other close sites: It’s inside Bosque de Chapultepec (Chapultepec Park) which also contains a castle, a zoo, and the Modern Art Museum.
Bosque de Chapultepec
Why go there: Giant Park with castle inside. The park also has multiple museums inside including the Anthropology Museum. The castle houses the National Museum of History.
How to get there: Taxi or Uber to Chaputlepec park. If there is a specific place you want to go, enter that location - It’s a huge park.
What you should expect to pay: Free Admission
How long it takes to take it in: No wait.
Other close sites: Not far from the Polanco neighborhood, and the El Angel de la Independencia (Angel of Independence).
Northeast of the City
Basílica de Santa María de Guadalupe
Why go there: The Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe is a Roman Catholic church, basilica, and National shrine of Mexico in the north of Mexico City which houses the cloak containing the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe. The 1709 shrine was built near the hill of Tepeyac, where the Virgin Mary is believed to have appeared to Saint Juan Diego Cuauhtlatoatzin. The basilica structure which now contains Diego's cloak was completed in 1974.
This site is also known as La Villa de Guadalupe or, in a more popular sense, La Villa, and has several churches and related buildings.
One of the most important pilgrimage sites of Catholicism, the basilica and tilma (cloak) are visited by several million people every year, especially around 12 December, Our Lady of Guadalupe's Feast Day. (Wikipedia). It’s one of the most visited religious sites in the world (second to the Vatican.)
My fave part of the Basilica as a tourist site, is that it has a moving sidewalk so you can’t linger too long at the cloak.
How to get there: It’s outside of the city, so it’s a good stop on the way back from Teotihuacan.
What you should expect to pay: Free Admission, lots of vendors in the area.
How long it takes to take it in: It’s a pilgrimage site, it’s crowded. Wrap your mind around that before you go.
Other close sites: Nothing is close, but this is between Teotihuacan and the city.
The Climb Up The Pyramid of the Sun
Teotihuacan (AKA: The Mexico City Pyramids)
Why go there: This complex includes both a Mayan pyramid to the Moon and the Sun. Need I say more? Okay, here's what you need to know. It's probably gonna be really hot. REALLY HOT. There's no shade out there, so the earlier in the day you can get there the better. And...there are a lot of stairs to climb, so if you can't walk very far, this might be difficult. I also don't know how accessible it is to wheelchairs.
There are also a couple of museums out there, but I haven’t been to any of them, so I can’t speak to them.
How to get there: Uber or public bus
What you should expect to pay: About $4 USD
How long it takes to take it in: Getting in doesn’t take long. Getting to the top of the pyramid takes forever.
Other close sites: The Teotihuacan Museums, and the Basilica de Santa María de Guadalupe is a great place to stop on your way back into the city.
South of The City
Casa Azul
Why go there: This is the place everyone wants to go to, Frida Kahlo's home and the Frida Kahlo museum. It's worth the visit, but keep in mind that it a bit outside of the city, so it's worth going to see AND taking a side trip.
How to get there: Take a taxi/Uber to Casa Azul
What you should expect to pay: 250 pesos (About $15 USD)
How long it takes to take it in: It is one of the most visited sites in Mexico City, so you should buy timed tickets in advance. You can still get in without tickets, but you should expect a wait of at least 1.5-2 hours.
Other close sites: Explore the neighborhood of Coyoacan, and head to Xochimilco when you’re done.
Frida Kahlo's house is a sight to see. If you have any interest in her work or her life with Diego Rivera, you should visit her home. Kahlo was born in, and died in this house.
Xochimilco
Why go there: Xochimilco is one of my favorite places to go in Mexico City. It's south of the city, and an excellent place for an afternoon on the water. Granted this isn't bright blue water, more like greenish-brown canal water, but it doesn't smell, and you won't end up in the water unless you are trying to get in.
Bring your favorite drinks, some food to eat, and maybe some tip money for the mariachi bands standing on the banks or in barges floating through the canal. If you want to step it up to the next level, bring a portable speaker and turn it into a floating day party - trust me, you won't be the only one.
You'll also pass a couple of nurseries if you feel like buying a plant while you're floating around (random, I know, but I just report the facts).
How to get there: Basically, tell your driver/Uber to take you to Xochimilco, and you'll find people by the entrance offering to sell you a cruise around on the water for an hour or two.
What you should expect to pay: Do not pay more than 500 pesos per hour for the boat. I've been a few times and never spent more than 400 pesos for the hour, regardless of the number of people aboard. This is going to require some negotiation, because the offered rate will probably be at least 4 times this, so send your best bargainer to handle this part.
How long it takes to take it in: No wait. There are always boats available.
Other close sites: Casa Azul/The Frida Kahlo Museum
I wrote a longer post about Xochimilco (because it's one of my favorite places), check it out and get more details here.
Bonus Sites:
These are worth a drive past to see, but not a trip of their own.
Interactive Map: Click to Use in Google
Click on the map to open the interactive map